Corsair Unleashes The HS70 - Your Next Wireless Gaming 7.1 Surround Sound Headset?

Corsair has recently launched their latest gaming headset into the market. Known as the HS70, this is a wireless gaming headset that sports 7.1 surround sound and is compatible with your PC and PlayStation 4. We recently got a chance to check out this headset to see just how it handles and if we feel that this could be worth the purchase.

Unboxing this HS70 unveils not only the headset but also the cable to charge the unit, the detachable microphone along with a USB dongle to wireless connect the device. Additionally, there will be the standard pamphlets such as the warranty guide, safety information, and a quick start guide.

The overall build quality is rather nice with a suitable cushioning material for both the ear cups and headband. While there’s not much metal to the headset besides the frame, the plastic bits and pieces don’t feel cheap so I wouldn’t worry too much if your unit takes a fall. Likewise, when it comes to the overall feel, the HS70 doesn’t feel very heavy coming in at 11.7 ounces so you’re not going to have any problem with discomfort after a longer game session.

There are a few buttons and features to make use of on the actual headset as well and most will be on the left ear cup. On the right ear cup, you’ll find the power button which will turn on a LED indicator on the left ear cup showcasing if the headset is turned on or if it’s needing to be recharged.

While on the subject of the left ear cup, you’ll find the volume scroll wheel, a mute button, the input connection for the charging cable along with an input for your microphone. Speaking of the microphone, Corsair offers a metal type arm which will stay in a position of your choosing without any drooping effect over prolonged use. Something also worth mentioning is that the rubber cover that hides the microphone input is not attached. Instead, you can pull it completely off so you may want to take note of where you place the piece in case of accidentally losing it.

Audio quality is a plus for this device, though I will say that when I first got the unit, there was a slight buzzing noise. This only occurred in certain areas of my room and was easily drowned out from the in-game audio. However, I recently replaced my PC with a new case and peripherals which took away the buzzing noise so I’m going to rule that there was some wireless interference of some kind. As a result, you may have to hunt around your room to see what device is being problematic to your headset if you come across a buzzing situation of your own.

Speaking of audio quality, PC gamers will be able to make use of the Corsair Utility Engine or otherwise known as CUE. This is Corsair’s software to tweak and create profiles for their line of products. It’s within this software that gamers can tweak various EQ aspects to the headset audio along with the microphone volume. However, if you’re unfamiliar with the EQ ranges then there are a few presets to choose from along with switches to boost the bass or offer more filters for the standard FPS title.

Cue will be something that you can’t make use of on the PlayStation 4 unfortunately but it’s really a must-have software program for the PC platform. You will not only have more control over the audio mix but there are other useful indicators such as the battery life to monitor overtime. Additionally, this where gamers can make use of the 7.1 surround sound mode giving the player a sense of where noise is coming from though that’s another aspect that will be amiss on the PlayStation 4.

Battery life is stated to last up to sixteen hours and that honestly is about where it hits for me as well. From casually listening to music on my PC to chatting with friends during gameplay, this headset will definitely last you a few game sessions if your a casual gamer.

With that said, there are some slight faults that we would like to see changed up in the future. After all, we did make mention that PlayStation 4 users will be losing out on the CUE software and it doesn’t appear that Corsair has included an option to use this device outside of the PlayStation 4 or PC platform.

With gamers being able to detach the microphone, we could have seen this headset having the capability to be turned into a normal pair of headphones. However, Corsair did not include any line options for listening to additional devices nor does the headset come with Bluetooth. Likewise, I prefer the option to hear a direct feed of my microphone. It seems that more headsets these days are dropping that feature so if you dislike the muffled sound of your voice while speaking to a friend or team then you may want to keep searching around for other headset options.

If none of that bothers you then honestly, you can’t go wrong with the Corsair HS70. They sound great, especially with the CUE software control, plus the battery life and range for the headset shouldn’t be a problem. For $99, I believe you’ll have a great wireless device that will keep you satisfied for quite some time on both the PlayStation 4 and PC platforms.